Slot diffuser with clip-in pattern controller



E. F. AVERILL Nov. 26, 1968 SLOT DIFFUSER WITH CLIP-IN PATTERNCONTROLLER Filed Sept. 28, 1966 INVENTOR.

EUGENE E AVER/LL United States Patent 3,412,669 SLOT DIFFUSER WITHCLIP-IN PATTERN CONTROLLER Eugene F. Averill, Waterloo, Iowa, assignorto Titus Manufacturing Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation ofIowa Filed Sept. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 582,751 8 Claims. (Cl. 9840)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Slot diffusers with clips mounting airpattern control vanes on spacer members such as H-hangers and springarms holding pivotable vanes in grooves of vane mounting member.

This invention, in general, relates to improvements in slot diffuserstructures embodying an air pattern control means in the elongated, airflow channel of the slot diffuser with clip means mounting said patterncontrol means on said diffuser. The invention further embodies slotdiffusers of the aforementioned type in which the air pattern controlmeans constitutes vane support means having at least one longitudinalgroove therein and spring clip means acting against an elongated vane orvanes pivotally seated in said groove.

In the preferred form, as illustrated in the drawing, the inventionconstitutes air pattern control means em bodying pivotable, elongatedvanes of the type described in US. Patents No. 3,185,068 and 3,185,069,issued May 25, 1965, to E. Straub and E. F. Averill. The pivotable vanesin these patents have rounded, longitudinal edges which snap intoelongated grooves in the vane support member and are pivotally supportedtherein. The invention herein provides a spring clip pressing therounded, longitudinal edge of the vane in a respective, substantiallysemi-cylindrical, longitudinal groove in the support member. In certaintypes of slot diffuser systems, it is advantageous to provide vanesupport members and/ or vanes mounted thereon which can be attached ordetached in the slot diffusers on the job site. This invention providesslot diffuser structures having such a feature, whereby elongated wallsof slot diffusers can be provided with active and inactive sections. Foractive sections, air pattern control means can be installed, removed, orshifted, as air distribution needs dictate by virtue of the readyattachment or detachment of the vane support members and/ or the vanesupported thereon. Inactive sections, i.e., sections in which air doesnot flow, may contain the vane support members without or with vanes, ormay be without either. The latter is the most economical. Vanes may beuseful in inactive sections because, in the illustrated embodiment andthe like, the vanes may be used as close-off dampers. Blank-off memberssuch as plates or the like may be used to blank off the inactivesections.

Briefly, the invention provides elongated air distribution membershaving elongated, spaced, opposing side walls defining therebetween anelongated, air flow channel. These slot diffusers preferably embody atleast one, elongated, inwardly directed lip, and usual-1y two opposing,inwardly directed, spaced lips, at the lower edge or edges of therespective side walls. The respective lip or lips defines a longitudinaledge of an elongated, air discharge slot in the bottom of the diffuser.The diffuser further has air pattern control means with elongated,movable, air-flow directing members extending longitudinally in thechannel. The air pattern control means is employed for directing airflow against a lip or lips in certain types of presently known slotdiffusers. In other types of known slot diffusers, the air patterncontroller 13,412,669 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 is employed to deflect theair away from the lip or lips. The lip or lips coact with the airpattern controller to provide selective air discharge patterns which maybe substantially horizontal (parallel with the ceiling) or vertical, orthe like. For further details, reference is made to such U.S. Patents as3,185,068, 3,185,069, 3,183,821, 3,242,847, 3,126,811, 3,220,332 and thelike.

The slot diffusers of the instant invention embody spacer means disposedat spaced intervals along the slot diffuser and holding the side wallsof the slot diffuser in spaced, opposing relationship. A preferred formthereof is an H-hanger having the vertical legs thereof in holdingengagement with said side walls. The cross-leg of the respectiveH-hangers has a vertical member, preferably a vertical bar, extendingupwardly therefrom. These spacer means are utilized for supporting theair pattern control means in the slot diffuser by the use of clip meansreleasably mounting the air pattern control means on the spacer means.

For this purpose, the air pattern control means extends between adjacentspacer means with respective ends of the air pattern control meanscontiguous to a spacer means. The clip means is mounted on respectiveends of the air pattern control means with clip arms releasably holdingrespective spacer means, whereby the air pattern control means issupported in the diffuser channel by and between the spacer means.

With spacer means such as H-hangers having the aforesaid vertical memberor bar projecting upwardly there from, the clip means includes clip armsextending from respective ends of the air pattern control means alongopposite sides of the vertical member or bar. With clip means such asH-hange-rs, the lower portions of the clip arms preferably rest on thecross-leg of the H-hanger. The clip arms, furthermore, advantageouslymay have laterally extending, outer ends which extend beneath inwardlyprojecting, longitudinal lips on the upper portion of the side walls ofthe diffusers. These outer ends of the arms are springable and areadapted to snap beneath said lips to secure the air pattern controlmeans against unseating from the spacer means by an upward push on theair pattern control means. This arrangement is particularly desired whenthe elongated, movable, preferably pivotable, air-directing vanes of theair pattern control means are the type which can be snapped into the vae support portions of the slot diffuser.

The structure of the latter type is advantageous when the vane supportmeans has at least one, and usually two, groove type pivot supports forrespective elongated vanes with spring clip means mounted on the vanesupport rreans and spring arms pressing the respective elongated vane orvanes into the pivot support of the vane support member.

In a preferred form, this feature of the invention is achieved by theprovision of at least one longitudinally extending, substantiallycylindrical groove with at least one elongated vane pivotally supportedtherein. This vane has a rounded, longitudinal edge substantiallymatingly seated in the respective semi-cylindrical groove. The springclip means has at least one spring arm extending across and pressing therounded, longitudinal edge into the groove. In the preferred form of theinvention, which is illustrated in the drawing, the vane support meanshas a pair of longitudinally extending, substantially semi-cylindricalgrooves in side-by-side relationship along the lower portion of the vanesupport means. The grooves face in generally opposite directions. Thespring clip has two spring arms, one on each side of the vane supportmember, each of which spring arms has its springable, free portionbearing against the rounded longitudinal edge of the respective vanesand releasably holding the rounded longitudinal edge in the respectivesemi-cylindrical groove.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view, a portion of the duct workand a slot diffuser of an air distribution system;

FIG. 2 is a broken-side elevation of a preferred form of the slotdiffuser of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation thereof;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken on section plane 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken on section plane 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a section view taken on section plane 5-5 of FIG. 2 with oneof the pivotable vanes pivoted into contact with a side wall of the slotdiffuser.

Referring to the drawings, an elongated slot diffuser 10 is connected bya longitudinally split duct 11 having a plenum chamber 12 to a mainsupply duct 14 by the intermediary flexible conduit 13. The attachmentof the flexible conduit 13 to the respective ducts and the mounting ofthe split duct 11 on the diffuser 10 are generally well known in theart. In the case of a suspended ceiling, the diffuser 10 is hung fromthe main ceiling of building framework by suspension rods or wires 15.

The slot diffuser of the invention comprises horizontally spaced,oppositely disposed, elongated side walls 16 and 17, each of which mayhave an elongated, inner flange or lip 18 and 19 at the lower edgethereof. Lips 18 and 19 extend longitudinally of the slot diffuser insubstantially opposing relationship and the opposing, inner edgesthereof define the elongated, longitudinally extending slot 20 of theslot diffuser. Air supplied to the upper portion of the slot diffuserflows through the air fiow channel defined by the side walls 16 and 17and out the slot 20. If desired, the slot diffuser may also haveelongated, longitudinally extending, outwardly directed flanges 20 and21, which are ordinarily provided either for the purpose of masking theopening cut in a ceiling in which the diffuser 10 is mounted, or for thepurpose of providing supporting flanges for ceiling panels, fixtures,light panels, or other structures of a suspended ceiling.

The diffusers of the invention preferably comprise extrusions 23 and 24of a cross-section as shown in FIGS. 3-6 with H-hangers providing thespacing and connecting members for the two extrusions. The H-hanger 25has vertical legs 26 and 27, the upper and lower edges of which arerespectively received in longitudinally extending, upper grooves 28 andthe longitudinally extending lower grooves 29. These H-hangers 25 areprovided at the desired spacing intervals and may be used as bridgesacross abutting, aligned sections of said extrusions.

The cross-leg 30 of the H-hanger 25 has an upwardly extending, verticalbar 31. The latter has a hole 32 which receives the rod or wire 15 whenthe slot diffusers constitute members of a suspended ceiling.

The air flow channel between the side walls 15 and 16 has an air patterncontroller 35 provided therein. This air pattern controller isadjustable to provide a vertical, 180 discharge pattern, i.e.,horizontal or intermediate air discharge pattern upon the air flowingthrough the channel and out the elongated slot 20. In the embodimentillustrated, the air pattern controller also may function as a close-offdamper. The air pattern controller may be of any suitable type. In thisrespect reference is made to such prior art as US. Patents Nos.3,126,811, 3,220,332, 3,183,821, etc. The particular air patterncontroller is the preferred form, and its general structure and mode ofuse is described in US. Patents Nos. 3,185,068, 3,185,069, and3,242,847.

The illustrated air pattern controller comprises a central,longitudinally extending, vertically disposed bar 36 of the vane holder37. End slips 38 having an inverted U-base 39 are attached at oppositeends of the bar 36 by rivets 40. The end clips 38 each have verticalarms 41 and 42 projecting laterally from the legs of the inverted U-base39 and extending downwardly on opposite sides of the vertical bar 31 ofthe H-hanger 25. The vertical arms 41 and 42 extend downwardly toapproximately the cross leg 30 of the H-hanger and mount the bar 36 inaxial alignment with the vertical bar 31 of the H-hangers 25. Theyprovide horizontal stability between the bars 31 and 36.

The arms 41 and 42 have lower portions comprising horizontal legs 43 and44, which rest upon the upper side of the cross-leg 30 of the H-hangers25, and thereby lend vertical support to the air pat-tern controller 35on the respective H-hangers. Preferably, the arms 41 and 42 also havediagonally upwardly sloping end portions 45 and 46, the respective outeredges of which fit under longitudinally extending lips 47 and 48 on theupper, inner sides of the side walls .16 and 17. The end portions 45 and46 are springa-ble to permit the outer edges to pass between lips 47 and48 in a downward direction. Their function is to releasably engage lips47 and 48 to preclude upward displacement of the air pattern controller35 after installation of the air pattern controller on the H-hangers.The inner faces of the legs 26 and 27 of the H-hangers may havelongitudinal shoulders 49 and 50 immediately below the upper lips 47 and48 to provide groove seats for the outer edges of the end portions 45and 46 of the arms 41 and 42.

The lower portion of the vane holder 47 has longitudinally extending,substantially semi-cylindrical grooves and 56. These grooves preferablyface substantially oppositely outwardly on opposite sides of the vaneholder 47.

The rounded, upper edges 57 and 58 of the elongated vanes 66 and 56matingly seat in the semi-cylindrical grooves 55 and 56, whereby thegrooves provide a pivot seat for the rounded edges 57 and 58. Thisseating relationship is maintained by the use of spring clips 59disposed at predetermined spacings along the bar 36. The spring clipsare mounted in the bar 36 in cut-outs 61, and have downwardly dependingspring arms 62 and '63 having outwardly turned ends 64 and 65. Thespring clips 59 comprise a bight portion removably received in thelower, horizontal leg 68 of the cut-out 61, and the aforesaid springarms 62 and '63 depending downwardly from the bight portion.

It will be seen from FIGS. 36 that the vanes 66 and 67 are pivotallysupported on the vane support member and are manually adustable byfinger movement, or movement with a tool between the fully open positionas shown in FIGS. 35 and a fully closed position as shown for the vane67 in FIG. 6, wherein the vane is in contact with the inner face of sidewall 17. The spring clips 59 provide sufficient frictional force in theengagement of rounded edges 57 and 58 with the substantiallysemi-cylindrical grooves 55 and 56 to hold the vanes in the adjustedposition against the pressure of the air flowing thereagainst.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantageswill be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it isobvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages,the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purposeof illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An elongated diffuser comprising elongated, spaced, opposin sidewalls defining therebetween an elongated, air flow channel, spacer meansdisposed at spaced intervals along said slot diffuser and holding saidside walls in spaced, opposing relationship, air pattern control meansextending between adjacent spacer means with respective ends of said airpattern control means contiguous to a spacer means, said air patterncontrol means including a movable, elongated, air pattern control vanemovably supported on an elongated support member extending between saidspacer means, and clip means mounted on respective ends of said supportmember and releasably engaging respective spacer means for releasablymounting said air pattern control means in said channel.

2. An elongated diffuser comprising elongated, spaced, opposin sidewalls defining therebetween an elongated, air flow channel, spacer meansdisposed at spaced intervals along said slot dilfuser and holding saidside walls in spaced, opposing relationship, air pattern control meansextending between adjacent spacer means with respective ends of said airpattern control means contiguous to a spacer means, clip means mountedon respective ends of said air pattern control means and releasablyengaging respective spacer means for releasably mounting said airpattern control means in said channel, a bar projecting upwardly fromsaid spacer means, and said clip means having respective bases attachedto opposite ends of air pattern control means with clip arms extendingfrom said respective ends of said air pattern control along oppositesides of said bars.

3. A slot diffuser as claimed in claim 2, wherein spacer means comprisesH-hangers having the vertical legs thereof in holdin engagement withsaid side walls, said bar extending upwardly from the cross-leg of saidrespective H-hangers, and lower portions of said clip arms resting onsaid cross-leg.

4. A slot diffuser as claimed in claim 3, inwardly protecting,longitudinal lips on the upper portion of said side walls, and laterallyextending, portions on said arms extending beneath said lips.

5. An elongated, air distribution member comprising oppositely disposed,spaced, elongated walls defining an elongated air flow channel, anelongated vane support member extending longitudinally about midwaybetween said walls, wall connecting means extending between said sidewalls at spaced, longitudinal, intervals and holding said walls inopposing, spaced relationship, a vertical bar on said wall connectingmeans about midway between said side walls, the ends of said vanesupport member being contiguous to respective wall connecting members,clip means attaching said vane support member to said wall connectingmeans, said clip means comprising a base portion attached to arespective end of said vane support member, with laterally extendingspring arms extending from said base portion into engagement with groovemeans adjacent the upper edges of said side walls for receiving saidspring arms, said vane support member having longitudinal, substantiallysemi-circular grooves on opposite sides thereof, elongated vanesextending longitudinally in said channel on opposite sides of said vanesupport member, the upper, longitudinal edge of each vane being roundedand rotatably seated in respective grooves, and means releasablypressing said edges of said vanes in respective grooves whereby saidvanes are removably and pivotably supported on said vane support member.

6. An air distribution member as claimed in claim 5, wherein said wallconnecting means comprise H-hangers with the vertical legs secured tosaid side walls and a horizontal cross-leg, said vertical bar extendingupwardly from said cross-leg, and said clip means comprises a baseportion attached to respective ends of said vane support member withspring arms respectively extending down opposite sides of said verticalbar, laterally across the upper side of said cross-leg, and laterallyupwardly outwardly to free, outer ends seated in groove means adjacentthe upper edges of said side walls.

7. An elongated, air distribution member comprising oppositely disposed,spaced, elongated walls defining an elongated air flow channel, anelongated vane support member extending longitudinally about midwaybetween said walls, at least one elongated vane movably supported onsaid vane support member, H-hangers connecting said walls at spacedintervals and holding said walls in opposing, spaced relationship, saidH-hangers having vertical legs secured to said side walls and ahorizontal cross-leg, a vertical bar extending upwardly from saidcross-leg, and clips having a base portion attached to respective endsof said vane support member with spring arms extending laterally intoengagement with groove means adjacent the upper edges of said side Wallsfor receiving said spring arms.

8. An elongated diffuser comprising elongated, spaced, opposing sidewalls defining therebetween an elongated, air flow channel, spacer meansdisposed at spaced intervals along said slot diffuser and holding saidside walls in spaced, opposing relationship, air pattern control meansextending between adjacent spacer means with respective ends of said airpattern control means contiguous to a spacer means, clip means mountedon respective ends of said air pattern control means and releasablyengaging respective spacer means for releasably mounting said airpattern control means in said channel, said air pattern control meanscomprising vane support means disposed in said channel about midwaybetween said side walls and having at least one longitudinallyextending, substantially semi-cylindrical groove, at least one elongatedvane having a rounded, longitudinal edge substantially matingly seatedin a respective semi-cylindrical groove, and spring clip means mountedon said vane support means with at least one spring arm extending acrossand pressing said rounded, longitudinal edge into said groove.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,276,349 10/1966 Person 98403,295,432 1/1967 Palmquist 98-40 3,327,608 6/1967 Newellet al 984OROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

